Composite Materials
Source Institutions
-
Twin Cities Public Television
Add to listGo to activity
This is an activity (located on page 3 of PDF) about composites, materials made of 2 or more different components. Learners will be challenged to build the best mud bricks, one of the earliest examples of composites. From a supply of various building components, which the learners will examine for their different properties, they will build mud bricks, then dry them and put them through several tests. *Bricks must bake in the sun for 2-3 days prior to testing. Resource contains information about how this activity relates to carbon nanotubes and links to video, DragonflyTV Nano: Hockey Sticks.
- Under 5 minutes
- 1 to 7 days
- $1 - $5 per group of students
- Ages 8 - 14
- Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan
- English
Quick Guide
Materials List (per group of students)
- dirt or soil
- water
- flour
- sand
- measuring cups and spoons
- container to use as a mold (aluminum foil loaf pan or old juice or milk container)
- straw, wheat or dried grass of various thicknesses
- toothpicks
- bucket
- weights (books, rocks, water, etc.)
- notebook and pencil
Subjects
- Engineering and Technology
- Engineering
- Metallurgy and Materials Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Technology
- Construction
- Engineering
- Mathematics
- Data Analysis and Probability
- Data Analysis
- Data Collection
- Data Representation
- Problem Solving
- Representation
- Data Analysis and Probability
- Physical Sciences
- Structure and Properties of Matter
- Mass and Weight
- Structure and Properties of Matter
- The Nature of Science
- The Scientific Process
- About Inquiry
- Asking Questions
- Conducting Investigations
- Gathering Data
- Formulating Explanations
- Communicating Results
- The Scientific Process
- The Nature of Technology
- The Design Process
- Invention and Innovation
- Problem Solving
- The Design Process
Informal Categories
- Outdoor Activity
Audience
To use this activity, learners need to:
- see
- touch
Learning styles supported:
- Involves teamwork and communication skills
- Involves hands-on or lab activities
Other
Components that are part of this resource:
Includes alignment to state and/or national standards
This resource is part of:
Access Rights:
- Free access
By:
Source Collection:
- DragonflyTV
Rights:
- All Rights Reserved, Twin Cities Public Television, Inc., ©2008
Funding Source:
- National Science Foundation, 741749
